By Linda Steele | [email protected]

Oktoberfest is back after a long year in suspension due to COVID. Snowbird’s Oktoberfest is one of Utah’s largest festivals. It is family-friendly with food, activities, live music and brews. The free festival takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, running from Aug. 14 through Oct.17, from noon until 6 p.m. each day. . 

Oktoberfest features 18 fun activities to attract guests and keep them coming back. Activities include the Mountain Coaster, Woodward WreckTangle and Alpine Slide. The festival includes street performers, smoked meats from Traeger, face painting, traditional Bavarian bratwurst, and pretzels. The Utah Jazz and Snowbird Ski Resort have an apparel line that is available at the merchandise tent, along with Oktoberfest items. 

“We could not be more excited to welcome our Snowbird community back to the mountains to celebrate this favorite Utah tradition with us. Oktoberfest has been taking place at Snowbird since 1972, bringing our community together for fun and festivities for the last 49 years. We are glad to be able to offer the experience again in a welcoming, outdoor environment,” said Dave Fields, Snowbird President and General Manager. 

Military Appreciation Days are Aug. 14,15, 21 and 22 with tram rides free for active and retired military, and their immediate family with valid ID. 

Labor Day weekend is a tribute to the original Oktoberfest, the Grand Entry of the Breweries in Munich, Germany. 

Sept. 5. is the beard and mustache competition presented by the Salty Saints Social Club. Bring your own mustache and beard or wear a fake mustache and beard. Any style of facial hair and whiskers are accepted. 

Daily from noon to 6 p.m., enjoy polka dancing to live music inside the Oktoberfest Halle. On the Chickadee Stage, there are daily performances from 2 - 5 p.m. with music from local musicians, weather permitting. 

Harry Lee and the Back Alley Blues band performed on the Chickadee Stage Aug.15, 2020, the second day of Oktoberfest. The audience enjoyed listening and dancing on the lawn to this band with the beautiful mountains surrounding them. 

“It is great to play live music at Snowbird Oktoberfest with the surroundings of the Utah mountains. We enjoy playing in this event. Our band has enjoyed playing Oktoberfest off and on since the ‘90s,” said Michael Ricks, bass guitarist for Harry Lee and the Back Alley Blues Band. 

The history of Oktoberfest started in 1810 to celebrate the October marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. Citizens were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days in front of the city gates. The main event of the original Oktoberfest was a horse race. It has come a long way since only a horse race. 

In Utah 1972, Oktoberfest took place one year after Snowbird opened and has been a staple event for 49 years, with  food, brews, live-music and fun activities for the whole family. 

 For more information about Oktoberfest, reach out to Snowbird Communications Manager, Sarah Sherman at [email protected].